


I Carry Your Heart

by captainafroelf



Series: Thera [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Established Relationship, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Marriage, Parenthood, Post-Thor (2011), Romance, endgame sucked so we're gonna ignore it, i almost don't know how to tag this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2019-10-13 19:25:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17493836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainafroelf/pseuds/captainafroelf
Summary: i carry your heart with me (i carry it inmy heart) i am never without it(anywherei go you go, my dear; and whatever is doneby only me is your doing, my darling) - e.e. cummingsWith new responsibilities and a whole new realm to take care of, Thor and Zera find strength in their family, in their people, and in their love.





	1. After All These Years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back babies!! welcome back to 'kendra fucks with the canon of her favorite mcu franchise'  
> get ready for angst! i went easy on you last time

Thor arrived back from Midgard not expecting a warm greeting from anyone, but especially not his wife. Had he listened to her warnings, he never would have been cast out in the first place. The last time he saw his love, she had tears in her eyes.

_“_ _Broken truce… Truces will always be broken, but I only have one husband.”_

_“I have a duty to Asgard, don’t I?”_

_“Yes, but you're violating Odin's orders in going to Jotunheim, and you also have a duty to me and to our children! There is no fight righteous enough to leave little ones without their father.”_

_“I won’t die.”_

_She rolled her eyes, his charm wasn’t winning her this time. Once he realized that, his smile faded. “You’re not immortal, Thor, and acting like you are won’t make it so.”_

Zera was in the garden watching their children play in the flowers when he returned home. It was a distraction from Loki's breakdown, but she kept her eyes open. Even from a distance, he could see how tense her shoulders were. It must have been a hard thing, keeping the children laughing while their world was on fire. She had a talent for that. 

As Thor approached her, he saw flames flare from her palms. He set mjolnir down and raised his hands. “It's me.”

Her fists clenched. “Loki, that's cruel.”

“Loki? It truly _is_ me, Zee, please let me prove it.” She turned and shot a ball of fire towards his head that narrowly missed him. “My firestarter, please, believe I’m not being false.”

“Enough illusions. Prove that you’re truly mine,” she said. “Say something only he would know.”

She was a flame this way. Genuine fear shot through him but not without an overwhelming wave of respect, and attraction. “You are slightly terrified of heights. You're good at hiding it from most, but not from me, because when ever you're afraid you rub your ears like this.” He rubbed his ear between his thumb and index finger. "The fact that you're not doing it now makes me prouder than you could ever know." Zera snapped out of her anger and stared at Thor, gape-mouthed. “Thank the nine realms nothing's happened to you.”

She charged for him, initially to slap him, but stopped herself. “I should _kill_ you for being exiled! Loki’s gone completely mad! We needed you, Thor! Our children were worried sick!” She pushed him but it didn't do much beyond hurt his feelings. “You couldn't have kept your temper contained for a _moment_ of thought for your people? Your family? You're acting like a bastard, son of Odin. An absolute, complete ass!”

“I know, and you shouldn't forgive me," he told her. "Sweetness, I only have myself to blame... I didn't have mjolnir or you for what felt like an age… Things will be different now.”

Zera's anger started to dissolve as Thor’s distress became more apparent. He was shaking, trying to focus himself while his mind went elsewhere. He couldn't take the image of his brother floating into darkness from his mind, it replayed in a loop. It was self-mutilation, why didn't he do more? Loki was his brother, he should have done more. He failed his brother, he would undoubtedly fail Zera, their children, and Asgard.

She lifted her hand to his face in an attempt to ground him. “What happened?”

He pulled her close and they melted into the embrace, allowing tears to fall and silent lessons to be recounted. “It's over. Loki is gone, Zera. I tried to save him but he didn't want to be saved.”

Shock shot through her, he could feel it. Thor wouldn’t face her unless she lifted his head. As if looking into his mind, Zera said, “If you tried, then you’ve done all that you could do.”

"It happened so quickly."

"I know. Someone snapped their fingers and our universe was thrown into disarray. With grace, we gather ourselves and mourn together. You've done all that you can do, love."

"It doesn't feel like enough."

Zera hugged him again. “It is more than enough for now. Come along and greet your children, they were worried sick.”

“Will they be ashamed of me?”

She shook her head. “Their father was a warrior and now he's a real prince, worthy of his power once more, there's no shame in such things. Besides, you have stories to tell. Where did you go?”

“Midgard.”

“Midgard?” Zera gasped. “Oh you must tell me everything for the library records. I'll have Heimdall fill any gaps later… Midgard?! Were the people nice there?” He smiled at her excitement. "Oh dear, you've only just returned, I should give you a moment to process all that's happened."

“My love, your curiosity warms me, I missed it. On Midgard, I met a curious woman named Jane Foster, I want you two to meet…” His smile faded as quickly as it appeared. “But I've destroyed the bridge between our realms, so I'm not sure you _can_ meet her anymore...”

She smiled sadly. “Tell me about her anyway.”

Thor held her tight. “I don’t know how I survived so long without my greatest friend.”

“It was only a few days. A blink in the eyes of our lives. And Sif will tell you that she's reserved the title of being my greatest friend.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’d like to think I did that when I married you.” He kissed her, hastily, forgetting how he missed her kisses and suddenly parched for more. “I will try my hardest to remain _here_.”

“Mmm don't make promises you can't keep, love.”

* * *

The door to Zera's bedroom creaked open, followed by tired, heavy footsteps. Thor’s boots dragged along the floor as he made his way to the bed. Quiet as a ghost, he stripped off several layers of armor and clothing, then sunk down next to Zera with a heavy exhale. It was a short war, shorter than usual at least. Thor was starting to realize that any war was too long, no matter how fun the fight was. A lot of that realization had to do with the woman resting beside him.

Beneath the scarlet sheets, he ran his hands along the curves of her body. She trembled under the lightest touch, emitting a soft hum as he wrapped himself around her. A ray of moonlight lit their faces through the canopy.

Thor could hardly believe he'd spent years like this, if not for all the trepidation he would've thought their marriage was a long dream. They worked for this happiness. Youth brought unrest to Thor, his belligerence almost killed him, it cast him out of Asgard and away from his family for longer than either of them could stand.

Midgard’s sweetness restored health and joy to him. He returned to Zera happy, ready to embrace her tighter.

“I know you're not asleep,” he whispered, kissing his wife behind her ear. “I have no stories to tell you, Zera. I'm afraid this battle was uninteresting.”

“You once told me that no battle was uninteresting.” She grinned. “You need a bath, my giant man.”

He laughed and Zera turned halfway to see his smile. “Do I smell that awful?”

“Horrendous!”

“Truly unacceptable, a princess should be greeted-” _Kiss._ “In her bed-” _Kiss._ “By a clean and fresh admirer.” _Kiss._

The mere mention of the word ‘princess’ made her pout, Thor always found that funny. As long as they'd been married, no matter how many years passed, she never quite enjoyed the formalities.

Thor propped himself up on his elbow. “As much as you detest that word, you wear it so well. Asgard wants you to rule.”

_The People’s Princess_. That’s what they were calling her. Asgard had found it’s It Girl in the Princess of the royal library. Zera was seen as the mediator between the common folk and the All-Father, the calm alternative to the two tumultuous princes. Any complaints were delivered right to her, sometimes when she was just walking down the street. It was a lot of pressure, but she’d gotten used to it. Without the citizens of Asgard to care for, she wasn’t sure she could have handled Thor’s exile as well as she did.

“It’s nothing, just a reaction to all that’s happened between you and the All-Father.” Zera looked into his uncertain eyes. “I much prefer you without the pressures of taking the throne. You’re less tightly wound. In our relationship, I’m meant to be the tightly wound one.”

“You couldn’t be tightly wound if you tried, Zee. Unless, that is, you've wound your legs tightly around my wais--”

“I’m tightly wound with you because you run towards fire. Only to rescue someone of course, but that doesn’t spare me any stress.”

Thor nuzzled her nose with his. “I don't mean to cause you stress, it just happens.”

“Hmm…”

“All that matters to me, when all's said, is that I’m good for you and Asgard.”

She scratched his beard. “You are. You’re a good husband, a good father, and a good man.”

He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. “Good lover?”

She sucked her teeth. It felt as if she had weights on her long eyelashes. “Greedy lover.”

“Do I take more than I give? I could always give more.”

“What I need from you at this moment is peace and silence so that I can sleep.” She yawned. “Loki's sentencing is tomorrow.”

Thor’s smile fell. “You don't have to go.”

“It’s not as if he’ll see me. I understand why you're angry but one of us has to be present. The All-Father insists.”

“He owes you an apology, Zera.”

“We're both owed apologies, love, I know. But it is my duty as a... _princess_ , and someone who was once his friend, to be in attendance.”

Thor kissed Zera's temple and began readying himself for a bath. She felt him tense at the mention of Loki’s name and reached out to him. Loki's fall from grace was not an easy subject for either of them to speak on, Zera witnessed her brother fall apart first-hand. One of their children even overheard his argument with Odin that fateful day he’d discovered the truth about his lineage. She still had scars from the fallout, most emotional and some physical. Thor didn't usually press her, but he was worried about the upcoming trial and what emotions it would drum up.

“It is entirely your decision, my firestarter. You have a golden heart, and a sweet temper, perhaps you and mother could appeal to the brother I lost, and appeal to my father’s anger.”

She shook her head. “You haven't lost Loki, he's just... changed. We’ve all changed.”

“I hope you're right.” He kissed her on the rounded tip of her nose and headed to the bath. “Be wary of his tricks!”

“They wouldn't let him near me. In any case, he has no more tricks than you.”

* * *

Morning flooded through the windows. Thor awoke to his favorite sound in all nine realms: the giggling of his children. They snuck in as quietly as they could manage. Thor smiled and awaited their ambush like a gleeful victim.

One of them crawled on top of their bed, pausing halfway to listen to his fake snoring. “Oh papa you sound so bad!”

Of course it was his daughter, Ashilda, scaling him like a mountain. She took after him so much it was frightening. From her wild golden curls to her propensity for lifting things. She was bookish like Zera, and hovered around the library. What was most like her mother was her brown skin and bright green eyes with flecks of gold like sparks from a fire.

Thor pressed his finger to his daughter’s lips and she giggled. “Let your mother sleep, Asa.”

Ashilda kept her voice down and pouted in Zera’s direction. “But Nikias and I wish to play!”

He turned to her twin, who was waiting quietly by the door. He took after his mother, mostly, red hair and all. Much to her chagrin, however, he’d also inherited his father’s love of exploration and danger. Nikias had a proud bandage on his arm to prove it. Ashilda loved risk but her risks were far more calculated.

Thor grinned. “I’ll join you, my loves. But we must do it elsewhere, our princess has important matters to attend to when she wakes.”

Quietly as he could, he picked Ashilda up, resting her on his hip. Nikias ran out into the hallway, excited as can be to play with his father. It was moments like these that made Thor realize how long it was between battles. Since when was Asa’s hair so long? Since when was Nikias so tall?

He set his daughter down and she bounced excitedly, waiting for his instructions. He crouched down until they were eye level.

“I’ll tell you all about the Kronans I fought on Vanaheim.” They cheered. “What fun we had! Sif and I were surrounded by fire, fighting off Kronan invaders at all sides. I thought the battle had been won, but they were hiding their secret weapon: A warrior the size of our tallest tree!”

Nikias gasped, with a gap-toothed smile that ran from ear to ear. “The one that reaches Vahalla?!”

“Alright, maybe he was the size of our second tallest tree.” He giggled. “Large and imposing, he stomped over to me ready for a fight.”

“Were you scared?” asked Ashilda.

Nikias scoffed. “Papa’s not afraid of anything.”

Thor shook his head and ruffled his son’s hair. “Love, I’m afraid of many things, trust and believe that.”

“Were you afraid of the Kronan?”

Thor thought about it for a moment and decided to be honest. “No, I wasn’t.” He smirked at his little girl. “But he had my respect, this Kronan was a fierce beast! He had the power to lift me up like I was nothing!”

He picked her up and carried her down the hall, Nikias ran behind him, wooden sword drawn. He was clumsy with the sword, but he was trying. His father dodged his swings, twirling Ashilda as he did. She drew her own sword and started to whack him with it, soft as not to hurt him. She pretending to plunge it into his heart. Thor fell to his knees, letting Ashilda climb off. They both attacked him, bravely and violently.

“I yield! I yield! You've slain me!” They backed away from him and he laughed. “Good work my loves, just as I’ve taught you! Give your opponents grace and they will turn into grateful allies. Also, thank you for going easy on me, I’m not as young as I used to be.”

“Did we hurt your back?” asked Ashilda, with a gasp. She bent over to try and look at his back and he pulled both of them close and kissed them. “Did we hurt you?”

Thor shook his head. “You couldn’t possibly hurt me. Have you eaten yet? What time is it?” They looked in different directions, evading their father’s eyes and his question. Thor was patient, but he put on his more responsible fatherly voice. “It isn’t time for your lessons, is it?”

“Do we _have_ to go?” asked Nikias. “The teacher bores me!”

“I know, but your mind is an important thing to feed, along with your stomachs.” He tickled his stomach and pulled himself from the ground.

"But father, every time we visit mama in the library we read everything there is! What can the teacher tell us?"

Thor almost agreed with him, but he knew Zera would want him not to. “Even the most voracious readers have to go to their lessons. Your mother was very good in school." Nikias still wasn't convinced. "How about we get food and then you’ll go straight to your lessons for the day, agreed?”

They nodded and Thor reached out his hands for them to take. Their unfathomably small hands made him melt every time, especially since they were as warm as Zera’s. He hoped they would raise them so that their hearts were too.

"Tell us about the frozen man again!" Ashilda exclaimed. "The one with the shield."

Nikias groaned. "I'm tired of that story! Mama says you once wrestled the saehrimnir in the forest." 

Thor chuckled. "I'll tell you both stories."

Ashilda sighed. "One day, I want to meet the frozen man."

"You’ll meet all my Midgardian friends! Jane, The Avengers, Dr. Selvig! All of them! I think they’ll all love you, but not as much as I do.”

* * *

There was one simple request that Zera had in regards to Loki’s sentence. It was so minor that she figured it would only need quick re-approval from Odin. Re-approval, because he’d stripped it away. It shocked her completely that he’d taken this away, but the Warriors Three confirmed it, and she couldn’t let this stand. Not as Loki’s sister, or as princess of Asgard.

“All-Father, may I speak to you?” Zera said, moving into the throne room with a quick curtsy and a book in hand, as always. Frigga was already there, probably saying everything Zera had prepared, but in less words. “Gracious mother, forgive me for interrupting you.”

Frigga took her hand, leading her forward before stepping aside. “Speak your mind. Perhaps you can work your magic here.”

“I should have asked what it was I interrupted…” Odin tapped his foot, waiting for Zera to speak. She was the only child he had that he found difficult to become impatient with, but that day was bred with impatience. “Loki must be punished for his crimes, but you must let me deliver books to him as I do for every other prisoner.”

Odin sighed. “First your mother requests the right to physically visit him, now you request the right to give him reading.”

“I know it’s an odd thing to ask for, but I’ve gathered a few books I think would do him some good, and--”

“Loki cannot be reformed with poetry and fables, my dear.”

“Father, I know. May I remind you what he’s done to me and my children? I’m not in the throes of forgiveness just yet, but I am in the business of family. The sons of Odin are my family, both of them.”

“He lost the title ‘Son of Odin’ when he tried to kill his brother and steal the throne!” boomed Odin. “He loses his rights, even some prisoner’s rights.”

Frigga stepped forward. “That’s hardly fair, you raised him as our son, you made that choice, don’t cut him off from civilization as you’ve cut him off from family.”

“Frigga!” he snapped. “Please…”

In the distance, they heard chains clanking and soldiers leading Loki to the throne room. A soldier moved to usher Zera away, but she resisted. As per usual that resistance worked. The guards saw Zera as they saw her husband: Stubborn and always ready for an argument.

She pleaded with Odin quickly, trying to ignore the fact that Loki was now so close that she could feel how cold he’d made the area.

“I will ask for nothing more, All-Father, beyond this small request. Just simple deliveries from the library. I will make sure nothing slips beyond my approval. Nothing foolish like a map of the prison, not that he hasn’t read that already.” Odin raised an eyebrow. “He read it before I became head librarian, we were children then. I don’t have psychic abilities!”

Now the clanking chains were right behind her head. She stiffened but didn’t turn before the elephant in the room made himself known.

“Sister…” he said. “I can’t say I haven’t missed you.” She looked at him over her shoulder. “Have you come to see me hung?”

“You know you’re not being hung, I wouldn’t let them hang you,” she hissed. “Or have you forgotten that we were friends long before I became your sister, Loki?”

Odin raised his hand up, getting Zera’s attention. “Zera, please go. I will allow what you’ve requested.”

She curtsied. “Thank you, All-Father.”

“You obey the old man’s commands now?”

“I just know when to give up.”

The guards began ushering her out, forcing her to face Loki as she did. He didn’t look angry at her, and she wasn’t particularly angry at him. They were both hurt, by each other, by the circumstances, by walls that they couldn’t have imagined building as teenagers.

“You can thank me later, if you’d like, and thank your mother, too.”

He grinned at Frigga. “Hello mother. Have I made you proud?”

Zera conjured a bit of fire from her fingertips, then let it sizzle. He wasn't worth the trouble, and she couldn't hurt him even if she tried. 

She needed to see her children. They would soothe her. At that time, they were due to be "rescued" from their lessons anyway. She walked to the schoolhouse and waited outside for them. The children and parents passing her curtsied politely. Finally, Ashilda and Nikias saw her and ran out into her arms. 

"Wow, you two are in quite the good mood!" she said. 

Nikias giggled. "Papa gave us a message to give you." 

This was a bit of a routine for when they didn't wake up together. Thor always sent their twins to deliver his love notes, the cleaner ones at least. he preferred to say the rest to her directly. "What did that silly man tell you?"

"He told us to tell you that you light the fire in his heart." 

She sucked her teeth and took their hands. "Let's go tell him how much we love him." 


	2. The Dark World

Zera accompanied Thor to the Bifrost, where Heimdall was waiting. They'd come at night and in secret, mostly because Odin would have disapproved of Thor’s close guardianship over earth. Zera was the only person who seemed to truly understand his bond with the Midgardians. It reminded her of their own childhood bond.

“You’re late,” said Heimdall.

Thor sighed. “Merriment can sometimes be a heavier burden than battle.”

“Then you’re doing one of them incorrectly.”

They laughed. Truth be told it had been a long night. At one point, Thor turned to Zera and asked if they were getting old or if they were bored. Zera determined that they were tired. They led most of the night’s dances, including the children’s dances, it was time for them to step out for a while. This wasn’t new to Zera, but it was very new to Thor.

“Your children are rambunctious little ones as always, Nikias has taken a liking to Volstagg's boy.”

Thor chuckled and Zera rolled her eyes. “He’s told me all about his new love. We must be cursed to love warriors.”

Thor ran his thumb over her hand. “Familial patterns are difficult to sever, I'd imagine.” He raised her hand to his lips. “That's not what we came to discuss.”

“How fare the stars?” asked Zera.

“Still shining,” Heimdall replied. “I can see Nine Realms and ten trillion souls.”

“Ten _trillion_ , merciful Bor…”

Zera looked out to the stars and tried to quantify herself as one of ten trillion. Ten trillion beings who all carried on without knowing more than perhaps a hundred at a time. She wondered how many were on Midgard, how many people Thor had sworn to guard with his life.

“You said the Midgardians see us as gods, love?” she asked Thor. He nodded. “Us? Of ten trillion people?”

“Mhm.”

“And that includes… Me?”

Thor chuckled and caressed her cheek. If only she could see the way the stars played in the green of her eyes, maybe then she wouldn’t be so shocked by her own deification. “Goddess of beauty and wisdom, that's what you are. If they knew of you, you would easily eclipse me in their favor.” He blinked in surprise. “You're not shocked that I'm seen as a god?”

She rolled her eyes. “Don't let it inflate your ego, god of thunder. You have a way about you that makes people want to follow you.” She grinned. “Speaking of following you, Asa wants you to teach her real fighting. Our sweet little girl, she weighs as much as a sword.”

What Zera expected was for Thor to stand straight and tall, ecstatic that their daughter wanted to learn how to fight properly. He was clearly proud, but he was also tired, and there was something else in his face that she couldn’t read. “Did she tell you why she wants this?”

She shrugged. “It probably has something to do with Sif. Well, I can’t blame it _all_ on her, Odin has been busy with them. I tell him they're only children but that's easier thought than said.”

He smiled. “It's never too soon.”

“Thor, as much as I love Asgardian warriors, I’m not ecstatic about the prospect of raising them. Your mother’s pride eclipses her worry but she’s a stronger woman than I.”

Thor shook his head. “You always seem to forget that you fought death and won.” Zera rolled her eyes. “You did!”

Heimdall chuckled. “I'm afraid Asa's weakness is her resemblance to her mother, not her father.”

“Hmm?”

“Zera, you sounded just like _your_ mother then.”

She looked down. “Asa will be lucky if I manage to be half of my mother.”

Thor tucked his wife's hair behind her ear, caressing the skin behind it with his knuckles. Zera's insecurities were unwarranted, at least in his eyes. She was perfect. Soft but stern, affectionate and present. Their children looked at her as a powerful, familiar force and she loved them with equal fervor.

“I want to show them everything in the nine realms. I think the children of Asgard deserve lives of floating through the galaxies, experiencing all that they can manage. It did you a great deal of good.” She squeezed Thor's arm and looked up at him. “Nikias has been dreaming of fire and explosions. Should we be worried?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Did you ever dream of fire?”

“Only once… but I was prophetic in that instance, remember?”

“You were…”

Zera shrugged. “He’s still small, I wouldn’t preoccupy yourself.”

“Something tells me you need to hear that advice more than I do…” He turned to Heimdall. “How is Jane?”

“She’s quite clever. She doesn’t know it yet, but she studies the Convergence as well. Even--”

Heimdall froze. Zera and Thor leaned in. “What?”

“I can't see her.”

“Can’t see her?” asked Zera. “Where could she go that you can’t see her?”

Heimdall shook his head. “She’s concealed from me. I cannot see her, I can only guess where she is.”

“That’s impossible,” Thor said. “Unless…”

Zera looked out into the stars. “She’s found something…”

Heimdall searched the entire area a thousand times, trying to find Jane. Eventually, she reappeared, in the same place where she’d disappeared, beside her assistant. There was no time for relief. Thor gave Zera a kiss on the cheek and promised a swift return before requesting passage to Midgard.

After he left, Zera shook her head. “This isn't right…”

“Princess, I'm as baffled as you are…”

“From the little I know of Midgard, it has very little dark matter, and that's the only thing I could conceive of which would conceal your sight.”

“Midgard is experiencing strange times. Perhaps stranger times are due for arrival.” He looked her in the eyes. “You said Niki dreams of fire? Explosions?” Zera nodded. “Well, the inside of the mind is the one place I cannot see, but I know your son’s a perceptive little one. I would keep close watch of his dreams…”

In what had to be mere minutes, but felt like hours, Thor returned, with a confused woman on his arm. She landed shakily and looked around in complete awe. Heimdall and Zera gave her space to orient herself.

She giggled. “We have to do that again!” Heimdall gave her a courteous nod. “Hi…”

“Welcome to Asgard.”

Zera looked her over, a smile growing on her face. This was the woman who kept her Thor safe during his banishment. The smart young woman who Thor told her all about and wanted her to meet so desperately. Before Jane could realise what was happening, she was in Zera’s embrace.

Jane grew stiff, but then noticed the fiery red hair. “You’re… You must be…”

“You must be so frightened,” Zera said, squeezing a bit tighter. “From what Thor tells me, your world isn’t quite used to these sorts of irregularities. What happened?”

Jane's lips were moving but no sound was coming out. Zera looked exactly like Thor described her, “eyes like jewels” and all. “W… Weird stuff…”

Zera turned to her husband for further elaboration but Thor shrugged. “I’m not sure, but she repels all touch. I think there’s something infesting her body.”

Jane tried remembering what it was she’d stepped into, but she couldn’t remember anything. “It’s all a blur, your highness.”

Zera rested her warm hands on Jane’s shoulders. “Please, call me Zera.” She tucked Jane’s hair behind her ears and her cheeks turned pink. Thor couldn’t have been more amused by how flustered Jane had become. “We'll find answers soon enough, but you should be comfortable. Come, Asgard boasts great doctors, we’ll uncover what’s inside of you.”

Jane looked back at Thor with a raised eyebrow and mouthed, _Your wife is.._.

He smiled. “She is! She’s all that and more.”

“Are you talking about me, dear?” Zera said.

“Always, my love.”

* * *

Jane couldn't get over Zera. How this impossibly sweet woman ended up with the Thor she hit with her car was a mystery. She had to ask.

Zera rubbed her hands together and tried to think of careful words. “I don't like to speak ill of Thor. He’s a genuine man, so he doesn't mind when I do, but I want my children raised in a home of thought and care… But he was an ass before you met him.” Jane laughed. “He was too eager to please the All-Father, too eager to prove himself as a man and as a warrior.”

“And you still married him?”

“He never had to prove himself to me. Thor has always been sweet and wonderfully supportive. He is understanding and he's ridiculously generous in terms of grace that he gives others. I think in youth Thor's priorities were proximal. He never really cared about anyone from outside of Asgard before his banishment… Except for me, I suppose. That sounds so shallow, I know. I don’t mean for it to be.”

“Yeah. But I get it. A lot of people on earth are like that.”

“I guess we're more alike than we think. Thor seems to see it as so. He says we have much to learn from each other. I see that in him, he’s changed so much, and it’s for the best.” She inspected her once. “Cool tones should do nice on your skin.”

“Hm?”

“We need to get you into proper clothes, Dr. Foster. I'll leave the rest to the tailors and get someone to take your measurements.”

“Proper clothes?”

“Proper for Asgard.” She grinned. “Your clothes are lovely but I don’t want the other Asgardians pointing you out like you’re a spectacle, that would be embarrassing. I would know.”

“Well, you’re gorgeous, of course you’re a spectacle around here.”

Zera giggled. “You are far too sweet!”

Thor came in, visibly anxious for Jane. He could try to rein it in but he couldn't conceal his emotions, he wasn't Loki. He extended a small grin to Zera.

“You two aren't having fun without me, are you?” he joked. “The nurses are prepared for Jane, love.”

“Alright, dear.” She stood and took Jane's hand. It was clammy and shaking. “We might find nothing, doctor. Trust that we'll help in any way.”

“I trust that but…”

“No buts, you'll be alright, Jane!” Thor exclaimed. “I'm sure you've been ill before.”

“I've never had dark matter inside of me.”

“It's a new experience!” Zera couldn’t help but smile at him. She brushed at his beard. “Is it not?”

“Stop talking, Thor.”

Jane was looked over by the doctors, with Thor and Zera containing their worry in hopes that would contain hers. It didn’t. Jane was visibly shaking and no amount of moral support could hide the fact that she was being looked over by alien doctors for the presence of dark matter. It was an astounding nightmare. All she could do was make jokes and observations about their technology.

The tension only increased when Odin stormed into the room, glaring at his son and daughter in law. “My words are mere noises to you that you ignore them completely? And you too, Zera?”

Thor stepped forward. “She’s ill.”

“She is mortal, illness is their defining trait.”

Zera held onto Thor’s arm. “We know this is highly unorthodox--”

“I brought her here because we can help her.”

“She does not belong in Asgard anymore than a goat belongs at a banquet table!”

Jane sat up and looked at Thor. “Did he just…”

Zera cleared her throat. “Dr. Foster…”

“Who do you think you are?”

“I’m Odin, king of Asgard, protector of the Nine Realms.”

Jane looked to Zera then, who signalled for her to be polite. Maybe politeness would help. “Oh… I’m--”

Odin shot her a look that could only be described as cold. “I know very well who you are, Jane Foster.”

She looked back at Zera. “He told his dad about me?” Zera mouthed back that he told everyone.

“Something is within her, father. Something I have not seen before!”

Zera stepped in front of him as the placating force, it usually worked during these spats. But it didn’t seem like it would this time. “We fear it’s dark matter.”

Just as Odin called the guards in on Jane, they were blown backwards. Thor shot Odin a look and Zera leaned over and gently touched Jane, asking if she was alright. She nodded, but the energy under her skin was really beginning to show, and Odin gasped.

It was the Aether. Zera remembered reading about it once in the library. It was older than the known universe. Odin swore that his father killed all of the Dark Elves, but that obviously couldn’t have been so if the Aether wormed its way into Jane.

While Thor and Odin discussed this, Zera helped Jane to her feet. “Are you certain you’re alright?”

“Yeah. I feel like there are worse places to be with an ancient force inside of you.”

Zera laughed. “When those two argue, I can’t say that I agree.” She rolled her eyes. “With Odin involved, perhaps we can devise a more formal plan to save you from The Aether… Then again, I know my husband and his plans have oft gone awry.”

“Great… Great…”

“Don’t be nervous, Dr. Foster.” She sighed and recalled the time and the deal she made with Odin. “Please forgive me, I have to go.”

“Where?”

“Unfortunate familial duties.”

Zera passed Thor on the way out and he stopped her. “Where are you going, my love?” As she looked away from him, he figured it out. “Guard your mind, Zera.”

“I will.”

“I mean it.”

“He can’t trick me again, Thor. I love you, please don’t aggravate Jane’s condition.” She kissed him, then turned to Jane. “Whatever he does, I want a record of it.”

* * *

It was like pouring elixirs on a wound, the sooner it was done, the sooner it would be over. Zera readied herself for the moments inside of Loki's cell that she knew would be far from pleasant. A piece of her felt awful for letting her anger show, that was her husband bleeding in. The past couldn't be undone, but they could try at the very least, and Loki wasn't even willing to do that.

She appeared in front of him. His stack of books newly delivered beside his chaise. It wasn't fair that he lived this way, especially among other prisoners. But how long until the normalcy facade fell?

Loki gave her his requests and sat up with that same empty grin he always seemed to have as of late. “You've made great suggestions.”

“Wonderful. Of course, I can't take all the credit, Frigga's a far more forgiving mother than I am a sister.”

“The librarian princess serves us well.”

“I try,” she said. “Perhaps, if you behave, I can extend library privileges to all the others in here.”

“I’m behaving well so far, aren’t I?”

“You’re behaving like a toddler, but at least you’re quiet.” She crossed her arms. “Loki, we haven’t spoken since you… Since we all thought you died... We should speak eventually, especially about what transpired between us.”

“Oh, what transpired?” he asked. “Me acting out of rage?”

“Rage is not a form of delirium, you know.”

“Zera, I know telling you and your children that Thor was dead was a bit dramatic, but it had the intended results, you never fought my reign. You were cooperative. A true queen in the making.”

“You know that isn’t what I mean.”

Loki’s jaw tightened. In his mind’s eye, he could still see the maternal fear on her face when he spat out curses about her children being more legitimate than him, about how they would never have to wake up and face the fact that they were once in a lie. He could still see her bleeding.

She cocked her head to the side. “‘Two ships in a foreign sea with a bad map’, that’s what you called us.”

“And I meant it. Asgard was never yours, Zera. Just as it was never mine. Your people were brought here when your own planet became a mass of dust, a distant memory of a heap of trash. Their demise was inevitable so you clung to this planet as if it were your mother’s breast.”

A flame lit in her pupils. “Yes, so you’ve told me.”

Loki backed down. Zera was onto him. This was all posturing, a way to get her to leave him alone. They both knew she wasn’t that stupid. Aside from Thor and Frigga, she was the only person who still saw Loki as the boy he once was. That’s what he was, at the core of him, an angry boy.

Turning away from her, Loki raised his posture again, as if he owned the conversation. “I’ve never asked this. How does it feel to be a part of the true family line, Zera? Is it what you were afraid of when you first rejected Thor?”

“At times, but you know that. You know that this throne is a hard burden, a burden your brother no longer wants because it’s too much. You know that I understand how you feel more than anyone. You know that, despite all the venom you spat at me in your rage, I won’t give up on you so quickly.”

“That’s your weakness.”

“Hm. I believe it’s yours.” She took one last long look at him. “Ashilda drew a picture for you in one of those books. She misses you.”

“Sentimental girl, doesn’t she know why I’m in here?”

“I never told her. Neither did Thor. We didn’t want them to resent you.”

She left his cell and looked out into the Asgardian sunset. Her skin tingled with foreboding. Everyday it seemed to get worse, never by a lot. But the fear that held her was enough to make her skittish. Whatever was coming wouldn’t come tomorrow, but maybe the next day. She couldn’t see the future, so how was she to know if they were ready for it?

After a moment of reflection, she went to gather her children from their teacher, only to see that Thor beat her to the punch. As they left the classroom, each attached to one of Thor’s legs, they met their mother and reached out for her legs.

“Asa made you something,” Thor told her, handing her a painting. Zera grinned. It was of their tree in the forest, the whole family sat around it. “We have an artist in the family at last!”

She looked down at her daughter. “Ashilda, when did you become so talented?”

“You were sad yesterday after you saw Uncle Loki,” she replied. “I didn’t want you to be sad.”

She looked at Thor, feeling a pang of guilt for letting her children see her that way. Thor wasn’t quite as guilty. He held his wife’s face.

“Asa, sometimes your mother and I will be unhappy, sometimes very unhappy. Don’t think that it is up to you to repair that.”

She kissed him. “They get it honestly.”

“We’ll make mama happy forever!” cried Nikias. “We’ll paint her a thousand pictures, maybe a million!”

“See? There’s your stubbornness.”

Thor bent down and lifted his children under his arms. They squealed and laughed. “How would you like to meet our friend Dr. Foster?” They squealed even louder. Thor scrunched his nose. “Maybe they do take after me.”

“Yes, maybe so.” She brushed her son’s curls. “There are worse options.”


	3. Something Wrong, Something Right

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know it's not out yet but endgame can kiss my ass

When Zera was pregnant, she often found herself nervous, pacing the hallways and rows of the library, reading every record of pregnancy she could find, even if she’d read it already. She was never ready enough, and it terrified her. It terrified her especially as her stomach grew and it became obvious that there was more than one baby inside of her. No amount of prayer seemed to comfort her. Thor, ever-attentive, tried his best but often found himself feeling low because nothing he did pulled her from her slump.

Zera told him honestly, it wasn’t him, and there was nothing he could do. The problem wasn’t anything that they could fix. She just wanted her mother.

Cathenna's absence was an open wound, a void impossible to fill. During this low period, Zera hovered around the kitchen using the excuse of feeding for three. In her dreams, Zera imagined all the conversations she never got to have with her mother, and sometimes she would mumble and cry in her sleep. Around the palace, people grew silent when they saw her, filled with pity for the brokenhearted princess. Frigga's advice to everyone was to give her space and time to work through her feelings.

She didn’t want to burden Thor with this, even when he offered a shoulder to her, so most days and sleepless nights she would go to the library and keep herself company by the windows. She would sing and whisper to her stomach and try to convince her babies, and perhaps herself, that she wasn’t as sad as she was.

Frigga found her twirling her stone necklace between her fingers and hoping not to be found. But it was Frigga, she always knew where to find her. It was a remarkable thing, her maternal intuition. Zera made a space open beside her and Frigga sat down, laying her daughter in law's head on her shoulder and rubbing her back.

“You impress me, do you know that?” Frigga remarked.

“I’m afraid Thor already attempted to cheer me up with that line.”

Frigga chuckled. “He learned it from me, dearest. I miss her too. She poured her everything into your brilliant mind, and the gorgeous results blow me away each day. I look at you and think about the rather reserved child you once were. Sweet, sure, but guarded. That was your mother, too.”

“My mother’s goodness surpassed mine. I am a river compared to her galaxy.”

“Your mother was frightened before you arrived. Just as you are. She carried a child _alone_. She told me that she'd had nightmares about babies dying of fevers in her womb.”

She remembered those stories and pictured her mother young and wide eyed, mourning a lover, terrified of things to come. Zera cradled her stomach and in its safe heat felt kicking feet. The future was a vast thing, Cathenna knew that. Zera did too.

“Were you afraid? I can only imagine that carrying a prince was nerve-wracking.”

“Thor wasn't exactly an easy child to carry, he wasn’t an easy man to raise either.”

Zera giggled. “These little ones are fighting their way out of me. They’re so ready.” She sighed. “What if I’m not ready for them? Even after trying so hard to have them?”

“Perish the thought, motherhood is in you. I can always tell. A lot of people have no sense of the undertaking that carrying a child truly is. They have no idea the risks and the anxieties that are embedded in every passing moment of it. I know you. You're careful, you're wise, you're sweet. Your children's’ lives will be as joyful as you hope they'll be. I just know it. You have nothing to fear.”

She was right, as she often was, Zera was far better than good. Frigga was an excellent grandmother as well, doting and diligent. They made a great team, with Cathenna looming about in spirit.

That feeling of eminent doom returned years later. Neither she nor Thor slept, they just stayed up talking about this feeling, he had it too. It affected him so much differently. She could tell that it frustrated him that he couldn't identify what exactly the feeling was. The longer they spoke, the more she could tell that there was something on his mind she couldn’t reach, something that he had to discover on his own.

Eventually, restless Zera excused herself to get fresh air. She walked through the hallways first, then through the wide expanse of courtyards where a few Asgardians greeted her as they enjoyed their nightlife. Sif was on her way home from a bit of fun with some fellow soldiers when she spotted her best friend and joined her on her pensive stroll. They didn’t see each other much these days, but Sif still held the ability to make Zera laugh with ease no matter how long it’d been since she’d last done it.

They linked arms and Sif listened to Zera vent about this odd feeling and Thor's reaction to it. “I think he’s upset that he can’t see what it is yet. He’ll only be happy when he can punch something. If a threat isn't physical, he tends to panic.”

Sif chuckled. “His weaknesses lie in the dark, but that's only because he believes in a fair fight. Either that or you've married him for his looks." 

"How did you know?" She looked up at the sky. “Do you think bringing the Aether here will be our ruining? I want to help Dr. Foster, that is the right thing to do… But what are the risks?”

“I'm not sure, Zera. But I know us, and I know Thor. When we all don't feel right, it's not something to be ignored.”

“Loki doesn't feel it.”

“What could he possibly conjure from inside a prison cell, Zera?” Sif touched her shoulder. “It isn't him this time. Whatever it may be… It's bigger than Loki.”

“Then let's hope we have the power to overthrow it. Asgardians hope, always.”

Sif smiled. “Zera, I don't care what your boneheaded emotional Asgardian side tells you. I want to hear your mother's rational voice.”

Zera laughed briefly, then cast her eyes down. “I can't hear her right now. I know she's trying to reach out to me but I can't hear anything beyond the low hum of doom coming our way. This is all far too much. Thor smiles and laughs through it all, but I can’t. I have a horrible feeling, and I don’t know where it’s rooted, but I feel as if someone is about to die. Someone close to us all.” She shook her head. “I won't be able to contain the blaze if it's one of my children, Sif. I won't be strong enough…”

Sif stopped walked and stepped in front of Zera, looking her in her eyes. “Don’t worry about your children. They are heavily guarded by I and the Warriors Three.”

It was a bit of a relief, but then she remembered an instance where Fandral entertained her kids by tossing them into a lake over and over. “Oh, Sif, I was with you until you mentioned the Warriors Three.”

They laughed and walked along. “My apologies, princess. I propose we go get something absolutely awful to drink and then I'm sure sleep won't evade you for a moment longer."

Zera agreed. "If that doesn't work, I'm afraid neither I nor Thor will find rest until something's on fire." 

They went to a tavern in town and drank until Zera was giggly and ready to be escorted back home. Thor was awake when Sif delivered her. He gladly set a bit of water by her head and wrapped himself around her, glad to see that someone would actually be sleeping in their bed that night. 

* * *

 

The next day, Zera accompanied Frigga in the library. Zera's mind was everywhere, she kept forgetting what she was searching for.

“I feel as if I've regressed back into my flimsy pregnant memory.”

Frigga rubbed her back. “On occasion it returns, especially occasions such as this, I cannot imagine that anyone in this palace is in their right mind. What a day for our realm, a Midgardian and a jailed prince. You can’t say these days are typical.”

Zera stepped down from the library stacks with a journal beneath her arm, setting it down with the rest of the books. She twirled the curls at the end of her long braid and tried to get her mind back on its right track. “Not any less chaotic than usual, wouldn't you say? At least I’ve finally met Jane. Thor was right about her, her mind is astounding and quick. I had no idea that Midgardians were so very _pretty,_ andquite easily flustered.”

“Around Thor?”

“No… Around _me._ ”

Frigga laughed. “Oh dear!”

“No, no, it’s probably just her anxiety. She’s in a new place, she must just be shy. I don't make people flustered, except my husband.” She pushed up her sleeves and counted the books on the table. Five books, that was enough. She ordered them to be delivered to Loki. “Thor's having the children meet her now. I'm completely overwhelmed. With excitement and fear.”

“Why fear?”

“I'm not sure. Whatever’s inside of Jane might only be a fraction of our troubles, and Loki an even smaller fraction, that much surprises me. I can't keep talking about this, I will drive my wits right out of me before the day's done." 

"We're in a library, there are other subjects, dear." Frigga thought for a moment. "Nikias has taken an interest in magic!"

Zera stopped everything in her genuine surprise. " _Has_ he?"

"Yes, he asked me to teach him a spell a few days ago, I forgot to mention it to you."

Proud, Zera pressed her hands to her heart. "My sweet boy! I should've known. I caught him trying to spark his fingers once, he was mimicking me." 

"Isn't it wonderful to see your children begin to follow in your footsteps?" asked Frigga. She smiled, but there was something behind the smile that wasn't nearly as happy. "It almost has you believe you're doing something right." 

Zera kissed Frigga's cheek. "You are. I want to be like you."

"Oh, I wish I were more like you, sweet girl." 

They met up with Thor and Jane. Thor introduced Jane to Frigga and asked Zera how things had gone with his brother the day before. Thor was angry with Loki, sure, but it wasn't rage, it was just hot disappointment. She could tell as the shine left his eyes each time he got an update. So, she changed the subject as quickly as it was brought up.

She pressed her hand to his chest. He was tense, oddly tense, only calming down when she touched him. “Don't think about it. This is a happy occasion. Has she met our children yet?”

The corners of his mouth perked up. “They loved her, it was adorable. Nikias had so many questions and Ashilda climbed all over her.”

She giggled. “Oh Asa!” She turned to Jane. “Our daughter is a warrior, she knows no other way.”

“She has your smile,” Jane said.

“Thank you, Jane, you are far too sweet.” She heard a bit of commotion in the distance and stared into the horizon of a perfectly clear day, worried that she was overthinking, panicking over nothing.

“Ashilda is also musical!” Thor told Jane. The sudden rise in volume startled Jane and Zera both, and they giggled. “She's shy about it but her little voice is just so--”

The sweet moment was cut short by the sound of the prison alarm. Before it could be discussed, Thor raced off to attend to it, leaving Zera and Frigga to watch Jane. The scene immediately descended into chaos. Loud chaos. In terror, Zera looked around and tried to keep herself clear headed.

Odin arrived quickly, ordering Frigga to take Jane to her chambers. Dark elves were swarming the palace. Frigga went into action and Zera joined her, but not without a bit of protest. “You and Thor can’t both run into the trouble.”

Zera smirked. “I thought we were running away from trouble.”

They hurried Jane off to Frigga’s chambers, looking out the window to survey their options. Frigga was a quick thinker, crafty. Zera paced the room, allowing the palms of her hands to turn bright red with embers. Frigga looked to her. “I have a plan, dearest.”

“Wonderful, someone does.” Zera nodded in Jane’s direction. “All's well. These are good and formidable hands.”

Jane nodded, shaking. “I can see why Thor married you.”

Frigga explained the plan to Zera, they took swords from guards and hurried off to the tower. The plan was simple, an illusion, something Frigga was quite adept at. There was no need for Zera to worry, and yet worry hung over her heavy as a velvet curtain.

They waited, tension tugging between them like a tightrope until Malekith was face to face with the only mother Zera had. Frigga was no fainting lady. She stood tall as any warrior, taller even. No man could make her shrink.

“Stand down, creature. You may still survive this.”

Malekith looked between the two of them and Jane. “I have survived worse, woman.”

And so it was on! Frigga held her own, giving Malekith a worthy fight. Zera was not as quick on her feet, but her swordsmanship was blunt and precise. Once the beastly Algrim joined the fight, things grew desperate. He had her cornered, knocking her sword from her hand. Zera looked into its eyes and felt the same awful ache she'd been feeling the entire day.

Malekith looked at “Jane”. “I would have what is mine…” When the illusion disappeared, he whipped around to Frigga. “Witch!”

“Sorceress,” Zera corrected before Algrim knocked her back. She hit her head, her vision going black for a moment only for flames to flow from her hands. Algrim moved away from her, and went toward the queen. “All-Mother…”

“Where is the Aether?”

“I'll never tell,” Frigga replied.

Zera stumbled back to her feet. “ _Frigga…_ ”

Malekith’s nostrils flared. “I believe you.”

It was all red. Algrim knocked Zera back again and stabbed Frigga in the back.

“NO!” she screamed, or so she thought. Her world went slow and silent. She could only watch as her mother fell lifeless to the ground. All she could think about was her own mother’s body, empty and cold, destroyed all those years ago. What would she tell her children? What could she think to even say to them?

Algrim turned to her, intending to finish her off, too, but Thor arrived right on time to chase them off. It was horrible to think about, but this was one of the moments she’d been happiest to see him and his mass of golden hair swoop in. Her Thor, face fixed with a protector’s fury.

Jane ran in behind him, and she stopped dead in her tracks. “No…”

Thor froze, staring down at his mother, utmost sorrow replacing everything else inside of him. Zera let the flames on her palms die and covered her face, sobbing loudly. When Odin arrived and cradled his beloved in his arms, Zera just sobbed louder. Soon enough, she found herself in Thor’s arms, being pulled away from the scene.


	4. Eons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i would just like to say fuck endgame and the monkeys who wrote it once more for good measure but also those scenes with thor and his momma ended my life and i kinda wanna see him with a dad bod so i'm conflicted

The sun fell on Asgard and Frigga was given her burial. Her soul flew to the sky to join all others in Valhalla. Thor and Zera sat under their tree in the woods, neither speaking, neither knowing what to say. They just needed a moment away from everything. As always, they only found comfort in each other.

Zera turned to her husband, who’d let his head fall back on the tree. His eyes were red and puffy from crying. At the funeral, someone praised his composure, they had no clue how he held himself together. In reality, he hadn't. The night was restless, Zera couldn’t sleep and neither could her prince in his mourning. The air did them some good.

The worst part of this was knowing that this moment before sunrise would probably be Thor’s  only moment to mourn his mother. There was still so much danger, so much power to contain. It would’ve been a disservice for him to choose grief over the nine realms. That didn’t mean Zera couldn’t give him a second to process all of this.

“Two mothers murdered. Of all the things we share, Zera, I can’t say I’ve hated any of them until now.”

“I know, my love.”

Thor looked down at her. “I just wish you hadn’t seen it. If I had only been faster, maybe I could have saved her…” He sighed. “That's stupid, I’m sorry.”

“Your grief isn’t stupid. I often think about saving my own mother.”

“I wish I’d saved her, too.” Thor wiped his eyes. “Father blames me. I know he wouldn’t say it, but he does. I can’t say I disagree.”

“I disagree,” Zera told him. “Frigga was murdered. It was only the fault of her murderers..” She held his hand and kissed his knuckles, knowing that would get a grin out of him at the very least, and it did. “I recently read a series of letters written by soldiers long dead, men who fought alongside the All-Father in his youth. They described losing their fellow soldiers and feeling their wounds out of sympathy. Some of them would feel that pain for as long as they lived, they even had their bruises and scars.”

Thor nodded and waited for her to go on, chuckling when she didn’t. “Was that it, dear?” Zera twirled her hair between her fingers. That was, in fact, it. She couldn't think straight. “You know I don’t like to speak down to you, so know that it hurts me to tell you that wasn’t in the least bit comforting.”

“I’m at a loss for words, I can barely find comfort myself. I’m not sure what to make of all this. The world was a different world entirely just a year ago. Remember the week after we were married? When I was so full of expectations, I felt that we were the strongest pair of souls in the universe. The twins were born and you told me, ‘Zera, my love, the eons we have to look forward to’. I don’t feel eons anymore, Thor.”

Thor shook his head. “Don’t say things like that, Zera.”

“I can’t help it.”

“You and I will face death together when we are old and our hair is white.”

“Will we? My father died young, my mother was murdered, Loki tried to kill us, Frigga just died! You…” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I’ve already died once, Thor. You’re gone all the time, and I don’t understand what it is now, you weren’t always here before we married and that never bothered me… But now whenever you leave there is a shade over my heart that prepares me for the very real possibility that you won’t come back to me. With Frigga gone, who will be mother to Asgard? Me. Everyone is going to expect me to pick up where she left off now. Everyone is going to look to me for her wisdom and her grace. I can only do so much. Do you understand?”

Thor understood all too well. Not only from his own experience, he’d heard what people said about her, what they expected from her. Even at Frigga’s funeral people were estatic that they still had Zera to ‘carry on’ his mother’s spirit. All this time, he’d only expected Zera to be Zera. He never wanted anything more from her.

But he wasn’t around enough lately for his desires to matter. When he was around, he was more than present, Zera never doubted that he loved her, neither did his children. When he was gone, Zera belonged to Asgard, and Asgard was far more impersonal with her. They only saw another princess, not the woman that Thor saw.

“I’m so sorry for my absence.” And Zera knew he didn't just mean his physical absence, not with the way he avoided her eyes. “You have had so much on your shoulders.”

“It isn’t something you need to be sorry for. I married a good man, and good men will run to the aid of others when they call for him. There is no part of you I admire more, my love. Know that I hold no resentment for your absence, even if I feel overwhelmed.”

“No, Zera, stop. I pledged myself to you on the day of our wedding. You know I believe you’re capable, Zera. You haven’t the smallest clue how proud I am of you and of our family. I swear on Valhalla, no man in the nine realms has more to brag about.” He smiled and wiped her tears. For what he had to say, he needed her vision clear, he needed her to understand him. “But I also know these times are straining. I only expect you to care for our library and _help me_ protect our children. You are my princess and my partner and my _hero_ , your worries are mine and your cares are mine. Now that my mother is gone, I know you are in even greater need of a confidante and a friend.” He kissed the top of her head and held her close. “And I need you more than ever, too.”

“I’m here, my love.”

Thor suddenly got an idea, a bit of a wild idea. His eyes flashed with it, but then he pushed it away. Of course, he wasn’t quick enough to hide it from Zera.

“What?”

He shook his head. “It was nonsense, Zee, even for me.”

“Impossible, you could always stoop lower.” He laughed. She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re really not going to share with me.”

“If you heard the idea I just had, you’d be grateful.”

Zera huffed. “Oh _please_! Tell me or I’ll have Nikias make more of his special soup just for his father.”

“No…”

“I will. I’ll tell him it will make papa feel better.”

Thor grimaced at the thought of the gross purple goop that their son often made from anything within arms length. He was also impressed by her threat. “Alright, I’ll tell you my idea.”

“I know.”

He played with his hands. “The idea was for you and our children to… _possibly_ … Join me on Midgard for a few years.”

Zera sat up and looked into his eyes. “Years?”

“It’s not as you think it is, years pass like our days in their realm. You won’t notice.”

“And if Odin should pass within those years?”

“It won’t be for that long. I just need to know--” He took a deep breath. “Asgard is secure, Zera. Midgard is not. They might require me far more for a few years, and I’ve promised them my guardianship, but I need to fulfill my promise to you as well. I also must admit that my mother’s murder… I drew her killer here.”

“Not as a consequence of your neglect.”

“I neglected Jane, too. She was a very good friend to me and I--”

Zera held his face in her hands. “You will _not_ blame yourself,” she told him. “I think some time on Midgard would be good for Ashilda and Nikias. I would like to see the world you love so dearly.”

Thor kissed her, first on her lips and then on her nose. “My love for Midgard was partially borne from my love for you, because I know you’ll love it there.”

“Calm yourself, my thunderstorm. I haven’t agreed yet. Give me time.”

“All the time you need, firestarter. But I will need an answer.”

“You’ll get one, and don’t look at me that way. Last time you did, we had twins.”

* * *

Thor went off on his mission, and Zera stayed behind with the children. They were having a difficult time adjusting as much as everyone else was. Twice, Nikias asked for Frigga, and all restless Ashilda could think to do was sit outside of the door of her grandmother’s chambers, only finding comfort when her mother came to comfort her. They weren’t ready to talk about living in Midgard, she had to wait a while for that.

Ashilda and Zera sang a lullaby that Frigga taught her as Zera braided her daughter’s hair. Nikias was curled up by the window, looking out at the kingdom.

“When I was your age, my mother braided my hair like this. She said that on our home realm, braiding was a sign of status. The more beautiful your braids were, the more wealth you had. My mother did the loveliest braids. She told me that my hair was so soft, so easy to comb through, just like yours. But I like your hair because you have your father’s hair color, and his hair can never hold braids like this, the ones close to the scalp. Not a lot of them at least.” She grinned. “All-Mother’s hair was beautiful. When I was carrying you, she would always decorate my hair for special events. She was… She is one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever known.”

Ashilda clutched her doll closer. “I miss her.”

“Me too, love.”

“Where’s papa?” asked Nikias.

Zera sighed. She hadn’t seen Thor in an hour, which either meant he’d found a way off Asgard or was in the process of finding a way off Asgard.  “He has to find the men who hurt the All-Mother.”

Nikias became distressed. “What if they hurt him, too?”

“They won’t hurt him,” she assured him. “Trust my faith in him. Your father has fought and won many battles.”

“Don’t you get scared for him?”

“All the time, but I know your papa.” She hid the uncertainty from them, she had to. If they knew she was unsure, they’d be worried sick. “Your papa loves you so much he fights twice as hard just to see you again.”

“He can do that?”

“Of course, I can too. Mothers and fathers have those powers because we love you so, so much.”

There was a knock on the door. Nikias got up and ran to answer it. It was a member of the royal guard. He looked generally unhappy but mostly tired. He looked down at Nikias and gave him a fake grin. “Hello, Prince Nikias. Do you mind if your mother steps out for a moment?”

Zera finished her last braid and kissed Ashilda on the forehead. “Everything will be fine, your father is probably fighting hard as we speak.”

She kissed Nikias, then she shut the door and followed the guard far away from their ears. The guard sighed. “Princess, this is an awful time but Thor has left Asgard with Loki and Dr. Foster."

Zera cocked her head to the side. "With Loki?" 

"Yes, your highness, he was aided by Heimdall, Sif, and the Warriors Three. He’s committed a great act of treason.”

The guard watched Zera's expression shift from curiosity, to confusion, to amusement. She was never surprised. “Is that all you came to tell me?”

“Well, yes, and Odin would like to speak to you.”

“Of course he would," she said with a grin. Always ready to be her husband's accomplice. 


	5. What of Tomorrow?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wasn't sure how to play with loki's "death" i decided to go the sad zera route, no one's gonna cry i bet

_A Long Time Ago_

“They’re here.”

Loki lifted his brow. “They? More than one?”

Thor put his hand on his brother’s shoulder and squeezed, tears covered the total expanse of his cheeks. “More than one, Loki.”

Before he could even think about it, Loki was being led down the hall, into the room where his sister in-law had just given birth to twins. At first he stayed by the door, given the babies a polite grin. Thor kept his voice down, which was hard for him to do in such an excitable state, but somehow he managed and led his brother over to the bed to see his nephew and niece up close. 

It was… Interesting. Not in a cold way. Loki could never say he felt nothing standing over them, quite the opposite. He was having a normal reaction to seeing newborns but it was muddied by something over his shoulder, something unspoken and undiscovered.

Zera was reasonably exhausted, but she still asked him if he wanted to hold one of the babies. All he could think to do was nod. Thor took Nikias while Zera handed Ashilda to her uncle. He was a bit unsteady with her at first, mostly due to nerves, but he calmed. He always hated when people were told that their newborns looked ‘just like them’, but Ashilda truly took after her father when she was born, it made him laugh. 

“You look familiar,” he whispered. “Don’t take it personally.” He looked over to Zera who had her hand over her chest. “What?”

“She’s burst into tears in everyone but Thor and I’s arms. She took to none of the nurses.”

“She likes you,” Thor said, proudly.

Loki looked down at the baby. It was true, she did like him, and she would like him for the rest of his life. 

* * *

Odin believed Zera when she told him that she didn’t know anything about Thor and Loki’s plan, but he still thought it would be best to keep her under watch. Despite knowing Thor definitely wouldn’t like this when he returned, she complied and didn’t try to sneak away from the guards. Luckily, Sif and the Warriors Three were also under watch, so they could all be under watch together. Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun were busy defending themselves against Ashilda’s sword skills while Zera walked Nikias around the garden teaching him about all the flowers he hadn’t already read about in the library, and talking with Sif of course. 

“Thor wants you to join him on Midgard? For how long?” asked Sif.

“A few years. A few Midgardian years, specifically.” 

She crossed her arms. “He’s drawn the line now, taking you away from me. I knew this would happen and yet I encouraged you to marry him.” 

“Sif, I’m seriously considering it. Sure, this could end up like one of Thor’s other dozens of terrible schemes--”

“Dozens?” She scoffed. Ashilda ran between her legs to escape Hogun’s quick pursuit. “Hundreds, including the one he’s following as we speak.” 

“Sif, please! Hear me out.” Nikias tugged on Zera’s skirt. “Yes, honey?”

Nikias pointed to a bed of flowers: Gorgeous, glowing blue flowers with violet stems. “Doesn’t papa like these blue ones?”

“Yes, papa loves them, Niki. Don’t pick any for him until he comes back, alright?”

“Yes, mama.” 

Sif smiled at him. “Are the children going with you?”

“Of course! I wouldn’t leave them here. If I even go, that is. Let me speak, I swear on Valhalla…” Sif buttoned her mouth, giving Zera a moment to gather her thoughts. “Thor really loves Midgard, sincerely. But he loves us, too. His traveling is taking a toll on the children, and whatever they feel we feel two-fold. Perhaps temporary compromise won’t be nightmarish. I could love Midgard as much as Thor thinks I will. Nikias will go anywhere there’s room to explore.”

Sif looked back at the little girl fighting brutally. She was on top of Volstagg now, and he was pleading for his life between giggles. “And Asa?” 

“She’s a harder battle to win, but we’ll see.” 

Zera and Sif turned to each other, and Sif took her best friend’s hand. “Zera, whatever you and Thor do, I will always be there when you call. You know that, right? Me, Heimdall, and those three morons, I mean men.” 

Zera chuckled. “I know that. Thor does, too.”

“What is Asgard without our prince and princess?”

“Quiet, hopefully.” Chuckling at her own joke before she could even get it out, Sif bit down on her bottom lip. “Oh what is it?” 

“Not at risk of overfilling capacity.”

Zera had to laugh along as Sif lost it completely, clutching her stomach. “Sif!”

“You two go at it like rabbits! And you know he’s got powers in the realm of fertility. The twins should not have been as big a surprise as they were.”

“You’re massively ridiculous, you know that, right?” 

Sif grinned. “I know.” 

Fandral wailed as Ashilda raised her sword over his chest. There was a bit of genuine terror in his eyes. “Sif, we could use your touch!” 

Zera smiled. If only she could bottle this moment for Thor to witness it firsthand. “Be gentle, Asa!”

“I am, mama!” She leaned down to whisper in Fandral’s ear. “Feel fortunate, elf scum.”

He gulped. “Quite the girl you and Thor have.” 

* * *

Zera couldn’t focus the longer Thor was away, especially with the guards around to watch her and make sure she had no way of communicating with her now treasonous husband. Something felt wrong, viscerally and terribly wrong, and that feeling sprung about in an instant and hovered over her head like a fog. Something went wrong, but she couldn’t help but think that it would feel worse if it were Thor. 

She went to the library after Ashilda and Nikias grew tired of running around and fell asleep on their parents’ bed. The guards gave her some space there, recognizing the state of anxiety she was in. 

There weren’t many texts about Midgard, the ones that were there weren’t incredibly recent, not enough to count as a reference. The books she read painted a primitive picture, far from that of Thor’s vision. The Midgard in the palace library was corroded with war and suffering and cruelty. Maybe he’d discovered a diamond in Dr. Foster, an anomaly for the realm. Or, maybe, as always, Thor discovered that Asgard was lacking in clear sight and chose Midgard to prove them all wrong. 

Zera leaned back in the window, looking out into the courtyard, the sun was rising. She’d stayed up all night, and only when she realised that fact did it begin to take its toll. The guards were asleep, they probably couldn’t help themselves and no one came to replace them on their watch. She wiped her tired eyes and sighed.

When her vision cleared, she saw a familiar head of blond hair steadily approaching the palace, and that jolted her into focus. Before the guards could awaken, Zera was already rushing past them, through every corridor, and past every other guard. No one could stop her no matter how hard they tried. 

She ran so fast she didn’t even give the doorsmen time, she pushed the heavy palace doors open herself and ran out into the courtyard. Thor saw her and stopped in his tracks. Opening his arms wide as she jumped onto him. 

“Zera…” he whispered, tightening his grip on his wife. “Oh my Zera…”

She kissed his cheek and looked around. “You’re finally back!”

Thor was unnaturally stiff, and silent. As happy as he was to see her, she could tell there was a greater unhappiness looming nearby. She let go of him and stepped away. 

“Where’s Loki?” she asked. “Is he behind you?” Thor looked down. “I didn’t believe them when they told me you’d teamed with Loki. Actually, forgive me, I do believe it. I believed Loki would change his tune soon enough… No, I can’t lie, I thought he was beyond growth. But this news filled me with so much hope. The sons of Odin together once more on another grand adventure. Alright, seriously, where is he? I don’t see him anywhere. Thor?”

The guards gathered around him. Zera was swept into the maelstrom behind Thor’s bloodshot eyes. He was bruised and bloodied. Whatever fight  was hard won, but it wasn’t fully won. 

Zera knew. 

“Thor, no…” She covered her mouth. “Thor, please tell me this is all a joke. Thor, please!” 

“He fought bravely. He died a hero.”

“Not another death, and this time without so much as a body to bury.”

“I tried, Zee. I tried.” She fell to her knees. “I tried.”

After a moment, the guards helped Zera to her feet. She tried pushing them away, but they reminded her that it would be easier if she just cooperated. Her grieving was being interrupted, that happened a lot, but it'd happened too much as of late and she'd become agitated. The guards led her and Thor to the throne room. They thought about cuffing Zera but Thor snarled at them before they could even attempt it, so neither of them were cuffed. Odin, expecting Thor, was waiting there when they arrived. He seemed surprised that Zera was there, even more surprised that she was sobbing. 

“She was uninvolved, remove her from the room,” he ordered.

"You had me under watch," she reminded him, wiping her eyes.

“Yes, that was a mistake, I apologize. Where are Asa and Niki?”

Zera furrowed her brows. "They're sleeping."

"Ah..." 

“With all due respect, this is a waste of everyone's time, your son is dead,” Zera argued, nudging herself out of the exasperated guard’s grip. “And on what grounds has Thor committed treason when he’s saved us yet again?”

"Whatever you can say to me, you can say to Zera. You know that, father."

"Thor, I don't have the patience to--"

"Without Thor there's nothing left, All-Father!" 

“Zera, _please_. There will be no talk of treason, your fire can rest, give us a moment.” 

She huffed smoke and was led out by the guards. Thor was left alone with Odin then. All Zera could do was wait.

Treason or no treason, whatever went on in that throne room went on for a long time. It was rather loud initially, but then started to calm. Zera could barely focus on that, she couldn’t stop thinking about Loki. The last words she’d said to him weren’t kind, they were anything but. She couldn’t get that moment back. Loki was her best friend once, then her brother. It was that love that only intensified the animosity and now there was nothing to rectify. It was getting so hard to keep track of everyone she’d lost. Asgard was starting to feel like a gilded graveyard. 

Thor left the throne room alone, no guards at his side. Zera waited for him with her knees to her chest. All she could see was Loki’s face. Thor didn’t say anything at first, he just sat down next to her and she leaned her head on his shoulder. 

“You’re not in prison," she said. 

“I’m not. I was offered a throne.” 

She looked up at him. “Not the usual penalty for an act of treason. You didn’t take it?”

He shook his head. “My time’s better spent with you, and with our children. I told him I would rather be a good man than a great king.”

“I’d rather that, too.” She choked on her next sentence. “Is he truly gone? Loki?”

“I watched the light leave his eyes, Zera. I wish I hadn’t. I wish I could think of anything else so that I wouldn't have to feel such sorrow.” 

Zera’s heart broke again. They’d only set Frigga to sea days ago. Days ago, Thor lost his mother. Now he’d lost his brother. She was amazed that he could even be composed in the moment. She took his hand and squeezed it, he nuzzled the top of her head, admiring the heat of her body for what it was: Living heat. He had Zera. He had his wife and babies, so he still had life and reason to go on. 

“We will be happy,” Thor said, mostly to himself. “I know we will.”

“ _We..."_  

Her thought snagged on her hesitance. There was too much at stake here, too much to consider. Zera was the sort of person who needed assurance that everything would go as planned, the greatest risk she ever took was deciding to love Thor. This was a new risk.

Then she heard it, out in the breeze, Frigga telling her to go on and speak. Her voice was clear as bells. _Go on. Try it._

"...should discuss going to Midgard with the children soon.”

Thor's breath caught. He raised her head so that she was looking him in the eyes. “You… Are you sure? Are you thinking straight? Don’t act out of grief, my love, be certain that you’re accepting my offer.”

“Thor, I cannot continue to dwell in a place where I see ghosts around every corner. I can stay in this palace no longer. You three are all the family I have left in this world. I will miss our friends for the brief time we’re gone, but I think that we need time away from Asgard, all of us.”

Thor nodded and kissed her forehead. “We'll talk to the children whenever they wake up, but then I’ll give you a night’s sleep and ask you again in the morning. If you’re certain then, we leave immediately.”

* * *

In the morning, long after the mead had passed, long after Ashilda and Nikias had been informed of this plan, Zera turned to her husband and told him how certain she was. They were off to Midgard in a blink. 


	6. An Adventure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is shorter but the next won't be

It was hard to sleep under a new sky, to look up at the stars and see the usual suspects but then to see the twinkle of home and know that it was just a moment and yet lightyears away. At least this realm had balconies where Zera could stand outside and stare at the stars, question her parents and ask if this was the right move. Her father surely would’ve approved, even encouraged it. Cathenna always said he was an explorer at heart. Cathenna probably wouldn’t have approved. Everything was too different for children that young to have been thrust into for such a stretch of time. 

The kids were hard to wrangle into bed on this realm. When Thor finally managed it, he joined her on the balcony, wrapping his arms around her. “Restless?”

“Unceasingly.”

He reached forward and cupped her hands in his own. “Good, you’re shaking as much as I am.” 

“Aren’t you tired?” Zera asked. She turned around to face him, holding his face in her warm hands. “You should rest, love.”

“How can I rest when you won’t?” He got an idea and smiled. “Would you like to go on an adventure?”

“Is that not what this is?”

He laughed. “Aye, it is, but I'm referring to a smaller adventure. Just a tiny… insignificant adventure.”

“You’re a terrible liar and now I’m nervous about whatever scheme you’ve concocted.”

“No schemes, my Zera, just an adventure with my brightest star.” 

Zera put on a new hoodie, which she quite liked, and a pair of jeans, which she liked noticeably less but didn’t mind the look of. “You do realize that you bounce that title between the twins and I.”

“As a unit, you three are my brightest star.”

“Again, you’re a terrible liar.” She took his hand. “Let's find an adventure.”

Thor pulled her close and flew her across the city to a little shop that was near to closing. The old man who owned the shop was sweeping when Thor and Zera landed in front of him. Luckily, he wasn’t a weak-hearted man, or a far different adventure would’ve begun. 

“You’re that god from the newspapers!” remarked the old man. 

Thor smiled, he couldn't help himself. “Yes, that is me. This is my wife, Zera. This is her first night on earth. I knew the only way to calm her would be to take her somewhere familiar.” 

The old man looked to Zera with a smile. “You like books, do ya?” 

She looked at Thor, who smiled proudly at her as she immediately recognized the man as a colleague. “Is that what you sell here, books?”

“Yes, all sorts.”

She bit her lip. “I’m a librarian at home. I keep all the books in our realm safe in the palace library. I _love_ books.” 

The bookseller respectfully bowed. “Librarians are a revered and noble lot in my eyes. Unlike Avengers.” 

Thor chuckled. “Trust me, I understand.”

“I don’t trust you, boy.” He leaned his chin on his broom. “Princess Zera, what would you like to read tonight?”

It would’ve been simpler to ask what she planned to save for other nights. “On Asgard we have no record of your realm’s more recent history. Do you sell those sorts of books here?”

The old man nodded excitedly. “Oh, I like you very much, follow me.” 

Thor nudged Zera forward and she followed the man into his bookstore. He told her about every aisle along the way to the history books. She, in turn, told him what the Asgardian equivalents of each genre were. Thor kept his distance. All he wanted to do was observe her at work. He loved the way she looked at each stack of books, the care she handled them with, and the attention she gave the bookseller. More than anything, he loved how at ease she became in an instant. Maybe now she could rest. His first night wasn’t particularly easy either. 

Zera left the shop with a stack of history books and a new friend. 

“Come back again, please! We’ll have tea.”

Zera beamed. “That would be wonderful, Ozzy. Have a lovely night’s rest. Give your husband my regards.” She kissed Thor. “Thank you.”

He pressed his forehead against hers. “I love you.”

He flew them back to their house. Zera gripped her new books tight to her chest as they flew. They landed back on the balcony with a bit more grace than the last time. Zera put her books on the bedside table and immediately returned to her sleepwear. 

“Forgive me, son of Odin, but that’s the first time you’ve ever used the word ‘adventure’ and it didn’t risk me getting in trouble.” She laid back on the bed. “I’m impressed.”

Thor rolled his eyes. “I told you this realm is far more than it seems.” He crawled on top of her and pressed soft kisses to her neck. “Besides, who said there’d be no trouble?”

“I do wonder if making love is different on a new realm.” 

“Oh my firestarter, I’m-” Giggling and the sound of running twins beyond their door brought an abrupt stop to that sentence. Thor dropped his head on Zera’s chest. “By the nine…” 

She laughed and kissed him before rushing out of bed. “Nothing’s lost. I’ll have them back to bed in no time.” 

* * *

Ashilda had never seen a tiger before. She hadn’t seen a lot of things before. She’d never seen cell phones, skinny jeans, double decker buses, or cars before. The tiger was just the most impressive feat. What was this thing with the orange and black stripes? She couldn’t think of anything from home that compared. 

“Mama, why do they keep their animals behind glass?” asked Ashilda. “The tiger looks lonely.”

Zera crouched down behind her, now sharing her daughter’s eye level gaze with the tiger. “These animals are rather dangerous, Asa. If they let them roam, they could hurt a lot of people.”

Ashilda frowned. “Oh… I wanted to play with it.” 

Zera laughed and looked back at her husband. “Oh, she’s yours.” 

Thor smiled. He was at the next enclosure with Nikias on his shoulders. “The safety of those around you is very important, Asa. You must respect the zoo's rules. On our next adventure, I will take you to meet animals you can play with all you wish.” 

Ashilda turned back to the tiger and waved. In return, the big cat blinked at her, which seemed to excite her enough.

The London Zoo was Jane’s idea. When they arrived on Midgard, Thor and Zera asked her for suggestions and she gave them a sizable list of things to do. Zera, the typical librarian, thought that navigating alphabetically would be the best move. Thor opted to choose based on whichever word sounded the funniest to their children. That approach led them straight to the zoo. As a family of eager learners, they took their sweet time. This wasn’t merely a fun visit, after all, they were teaching their children all about their temporary new home. 

Thor’s anxiety still hovered nearby, he was so nervous that they wouldn’t like Midgard. They had to abandon their usual clothes in order to blend in, something easier said than done with him around. Getting used to new foods wasn’t going to be easy. They had all-speak, so travel was natural but their manner of speech probably would’ve given them away and once people knew who they were the realm would’ve been a near constant game of hide and seek.

Ashilda dispelled those anxieties almost immediately when she was accidentally introduced to the idea of a crossbow. The realm was hers from that point forward, which was a complete surprise. Thor and Zera thought for sure she’d resist much harder than she had. 

Zera loved the little things about Midgard, and Midgardians. She loved their music, the way they dressed, the way they spoke, and their bookstores. 

The person who needed further convincing was Nikias. It wasn’t that Nikias didn’t like Midgard, it just wasn’t home. He’d agreed to go to Midgard, they wouldn’t have gone had he not, but being there was different. Initially, they just assumed it was overwhelming. He turtled up within himself and stayed there, hovering behind his sister who was more than happy to defend her brother from the great unknown even when she was immensely enjoying herself.

It was concerning. In Asgard, Nikias was an explorer, he was rough and tumble and more than happy to throw himself places that his parents didn't enjoy. On Midgard he was reserved, a bit more like his sister in the way he calculated his steps. Thor and Zera were doing their absolute best to show him around and he responded to some things, especially the natural scenery, it reminded him so much of home. 

“Niki, do you want to say hello to the tiger?” asked Thor. “You can if you want!” Nikias rested his chin on the top of his father’s head. “Is he waving?”

Zera shook her head and looked out at the sunset. “I think he’s tired, we’ve been here the entire day. The days go so quickly on this realm, it’s like they’re over in blinks. No wonder everyone on this realm is in such a rush.”

“Their lives are shorter, love.”

"It's a shame, it seems most of them won’t even get a chance to learn of everything this realm has to offer. I barely have enough time.”

Thor reached up and ruffled Niki’s red hair. He giggled and swatted him off. "Are you tired, my boy?"

He shook his head. "I miss Volstagg."

Zera grinned. "Seems to me that you miss Volstagg's son." Nikias blushed and hid behind his hands. "I've struck a nerve."

"Don't tease, we’ve already established that he gets it from you."

Asa grabbed her mother’s hand. "That's precisely why I tease." 

A child with a Captain America backpack caught Ashilda's eye. She gasped and ran over to her father's legs. "Did you see that, Papa? That was your friend, the man from the ice!" 

"That _was_ Captain Rogers." 

"You said I could meet him one day, doesn't he live on Midgard?"

Thor smiled. "Yes, he does. I'm sure I could arrange for you to meet him and ask him lots of questions about the ice and all his lost friends." 

Zera whipped her head towards him. "Could she really meet the Avengers? Would she be allowed?"

"I don't see a reason why not." 

Nikias was too sleepy to respond, but Ashilda couldn't have been more excited if she tried. She wanted to run up to the boy with the backpack and tell him that her papa knew that man! They were friends from work! But she remembered the rules: They couldn't say who they were to anyone outside of a tight circle, it would ruin it. She was fine with that, she didn't mind letting excitement bubble in her stomach. 

"How exciting, Asa! You'll get to wrestle them all like you've always wanted." Zera kissed Thor on the cheek. "We really needed this, Thor."

"I surely hope that's true, my Zera. You really have no idea."


End file.
